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Muppet Video
1st Logo (1983-1984) Logo: On a space background, we see "MUPPET HOME VIDEO", zooming out in a trail effect. The logo shines. Variant: Before the promos, the logo flashes at the end. After the promos, a flash brings forth the logo. FX/SFX: The zooming out. Music/Sounds: "Flash", by Keith Mansfield (the pilot theme for Press Your Luck and the theme of the Australian Thorn EMI Video logo). On the former promo variant, an announcer says, "Welcome to a whole new world of Muppet fantasy." Availability: Seen on Australian releases distributed by PBV Video such as The Frog Prince. Scare Factor: Minimal, you might not seem to expect it. 2nd Logo (1983-1984) Nickname: “Kermit on Video” Logo: On a white background, we see Kermit the frog over the words “MUPPET HOME VIDEO”, in the same fonts as in the logo in the PBV clip, except “Muppet” is orange and “Home Video” is black. Trivia: This was a box shot on the Fraggle Rock volume VHS cassettes like A Friend in Need or Beginnings in which were released by Home Box Office (HBO Home Video) in which Fraggle Rock was a "HBOnly" at the time of tape publication (1986) even though the credits were plastered over in the mid 90s volumes of Fraggle Rock. Variant: There is a variant reading “MuppetMusic” in place of “Muppet”. Look for it on a tape of Doozer Music. FX/SFX: None. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Rare. Check eBay or your local mom-and-pop store for Tales of Muppetland or Fraggle Songs Volume 1, as those tapes contain this logo. Some Aussie PAL tapes released by PBV Video may also contain this logo. Scare Factor: None. 3rd Logo (1983-1985) Nickname: "Kermit in Space" Logo: On a navy blue space background, a pink line draws along the bottom. Suddenly, an odd pink outline blurb pops up, and it's filled in to reveal Kermit the Frog, who stares in awe as two comets shoot over his head in opposite directions. Then, a large "Muppet", in a font similar to the logo for "The Muppet Show" and colored yellow-orange, flies in and settles over Kermit. A pink "Home Video" then fades in below, with Kermit between both words. He then stares at them, nods his head, looks down below the line and then idles. The background and "Muppet" disappears before Kermit and the text does. Trivia: It is possible Kermit was operated by Jim Henson in this logo. Variant: There is a version where the logo fades out after Kermit nods his head. FX/SFX: The line drawing itself in, Kermit appearing, and the comets and text flying over him. Cheesy Factor: The animation is pretty cheap, even by mid '80s standards. Not to mention that the background disappears before the rest of the logo, leaving Kermit and Home Video against a black screen for a second on the full version of the logo. Music/Sounds: A warbly "outer space" synth scale, then, a series of synth whooshes. Availability: You might spot an old Muppet Show or Fraggle Rock tape with this logo. Check eBay. One tape that had this was The Dark Crystal. Scare Factor: Minimal, due to the creepy music, but this is a favorite. 4th Logo (1985-1987) Nickname: "Playhouse Morph & Marquee" Logo: The animation for the Playhouse Video logo animates as normal complete with synth music. However, all of a sudden the white background changes to a blue-red gradient background, then, as the Playhouse logo flies and rolls to the top left, rings and the letters in the word "Muppet", in the same font as the previous logo, but colored green, fly in all over the screen, but then they settle down to the center, and an oblong shape flies in, along with a green diamond that reads "Jim Henson's". When the logo is complete, the oblong shape has chasing lights on it, like a marquee you see at a theater. FX/SFX: All the animation in the logo. Cheesy Factor: None, unless you want to count the Playhouse Video logo preceding it. Music/Sounds/Voice-over: Same music as the 1984 logo but with a few add tinkling sounds at the end, and accompanied with an announcer saying: "Don't miss coming attractions at the end of this cassette". Availability: Seen on old Playhouse Video releases of Muppet Show moments. Be sure to check eBay. Scare Factor: Minimal. It still uses the creepy synth from the previous, and the transformation from that Playhouse Video logo to this might make some people cringe, but this is otherwise enjoyed by Muppet fans. Category:The Jim Henson Company